using a router as a switch

[réjean]

Hi all!

Is it possible to have a router behind a router? What I mean is that I have an extra router and I could have an extra computer upstairs but just one networking cable coming from the downstairs router so I would like to use the extra one as a switch if I could.

[securitybreach]

Yup: http://lifehacker.com/5570783/turn-an-old-router-into-an-extra-networking-port-hub

[réjean]

Thanks Josh!

I had tried connecting the cable coming from the 1st router to the 2nd into a lan port but it didn't work. I didn't know about the 2nd part;

It's important to note that you'll need to make sure the two routers are not using the same IP address before connecting the devices.

 

That's something I'll have to figure out how to do.

[securitybreach]

That's something I'll have to figure out how to do.

 

Well plug your computer into one and try the usual IP address for routers: 192.168.1.1, 192.168.10.1, 192.168.0.1, etc

 

List of Default Router Passwords and Default Router IP Adresses pdf

 

Then log in and change the address of your router.

[ross549]

If the router is functioning as a switch, it WILL NOT have an IP address. NAT and all routing functions must be disabled.

 

Knowing the router's model number will help greatly in this case.

 

Adam

[Guest LilBambi]

You can also have a router behind a router on a totally different subnet; such as having one router that provides Internet access to a secondary router on a different subnet that only provides local access to the local network.

[ross549]

I would imagine rejean would prefer all his machines be on the same subnet.

[Guest LilBambi]

Of course, just sayin'

[réjean]

If the router is functioning as a switch, it WILL NOT have an IP address. NAT and all routing functions must be disabled.

 

Knowing the router's model number will help greatly in this case.

 

Adam

I assume you are talking about what I will call from now on as the 'upstairs' router (the one which will have my machine plus another one and that will be connected to the 'downstairs' router which will have my wife's computer connected to.)

In that case it is a D-Link Model No: DI-604.

[ross549]

Rejean,

 

From the bit of research I have done, it looks like you have only a couple things you need to do.

• Access the router's configuration page
  
• Disable the DHCP server
  
• Give the router a static IP address in the range of your network. What is the IP address of the computer you are on right now?
  

Doing these things should get you up and running in a jiffy, but the a simple 5 dollar switch may be easier in the long run.

 

Adam

[Guest LilBambi]

That of course is for the secondary router only.

[réjean]

Right now I am on my computer upstairs using the 'downstairs' router. Just one. The one I want to add is not connected. I get;

I.P.:192.168.2.13

Gateway: 192.168.2.1

DNS: 192.168.2.1

 

and please people be a bit specific when you are talking about the router like the 'downstairs' router that is connected to the outside and the 'upstairs' which will be connected to the 1rst one. Otherwise I get confuse.

 

Thanks fran

Edited July 18, 2014 by réjean

[securitybreach]

So your downstairs router's address is 192.168.2.1

[ross549]

OK. so you are on the 192.168.2.0 network. I would suggest setting the IP address of the upstairs router to 192.168.2.250, and the other settings as mentioned in my previous post. You should then be good to go. No changes will be needed/required for the downstairs router. Just leave it alone.

 

Adam

[réjean]

There is a slight chance the 'upstairs' router is not good ( It was given to me from a friend who got it from a friend who was moving in a home) but I went into PCLinuxOS Control Center and disabled the Automatic and used the manual then I assigned the static IP address and clicked on the ok button but then when I try to connect I get this message:

You do not have any configured Internet connection. Run the "Set up a new network interface (LAN, ISDN, ADSL, ...)" assistant from the PCLinuxOS Control Center.

I'll now try what they suggest with the 2 routers connected as if they would be working.

[réjean]

I tried doing the changes;

 

 

 

and got the following message;

Problems occured during the network connectivity test.

 

This can be caused by invalid network configuration, or problems with your modem or router.

 

You might want to relaunch the configuration to verify the connection settings.

Edited July 18, 2014 by réjean

[Guest LilBambi]

Did you disable dhcp on the upstairs router?

[réjean]

You know what! Forget the whole thing. Now all the lights are off on the 'upstairs' router even after replugging it so I won't take anymore of your time. At least I have this thread if I come across another router or if I buy a switch next time I go to town.

Thanks a lot everyone for your participation. I greatly appreciated it.

@fran. I thought that switching from automatically connect to manual was enough. Anyway at one point I saw a message saying that the DHCP server wasn't installed.

Edited July 18, 2014 by réjean

[Guest LilBambi]

Sorry the secondary router is not working right.

 

Hope you find another that will work!

 

Oh, and by the way. You would only use the 4 LAN ports on the secondary/upstairs router. It's going to just be an extension so to speak of the router downstairs.

[réjean]

Sorry the secondary router is not working right.

 

Hope you find another that will work!

 

Oh, and by the way. You would only use the 4 LAN ports on the secondary/upstairs router. It's going to just be an extension so to speak of the router downstairs.

That part I was pretty sure of. It's the IP static part that I wasn't certain. Thanks!

[Guest LilBambi]

Thought you did, but since it wasn't mentioned one way or the other, wanted to make sure anyone reading later would know that.

[crp]

just wondering if it wouldn't be easier to leave the routers settings on separate spaces and then using 'route add' on each pc so that all of them could talk to each other.

[crp]

doing that would confuse the crap out of the owner of the bot-net trying to set up residence there

that might be a feature ...

[ross549]

Rejean,

 

Here is a small switch I have.... you connect the cable from downstairs to it, and each computer to the switch. You will be good to go.

 

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-SF1005D-5-port-100Mbps-Desktop/dp/B000FNFSPY/

 

Adam

[Guest LilBambi]

Nice! And the price is great too. And no messing with router settings. We use a couple switches here at home too even though we have routers as well.

 

Works great!

[ross549]

I've had no problems with the TP-Link switches.

[Guest LilBambi]

I have put the 8-port one in my Wishlist at Amazon. I really like it and the price.

[réjean]

Rejean,

 

Here is a small switch I have.... you connect the cable from downstairs to it, and each computer to the switch. You will be good to go.

 

http://www.amazon.co.../dp/B000FNFSPY/

 

Adam

 

I hadn't realized you guys at kept on posting. Anyway last week I ordered a switch ( http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/d-link-d-link-5-port-10-100-ethernet-switch-go-sw-5e-go-sw-5e/10263151.aspx?path=178dd5833e1a76514e76354fd617c1d2en02) from futureshop which arrived today. It cost just over 17$Cdn, door delivery in less than a week.

Wow! Is it ever small but I was worried it would be Plug&Pray but it was completely Plug & Play. Just connected the cable from downstairs to it and 2 short cables going to the 2 machines I have upstairs and voila. It works without changing any settings in both Linux and Win 7.

[ross549]

There you go!

 

Switches are easy to deploy.

 

Adam

 

PS for the CCNA nerds out there- I meant a layer 2 switch, of course. With Auto-MDX.

[crp]

 

I hadn't realized you guys at kept on posting. Anyway last week I ordered a switch ( http://www.futuresho...54fd617c1d2en02) from futureshop which arrived today. [...]

the 4 pins throws me. how does this facilitate in making a port passthrough , directconnect or crosstalk? or did they go 4pin in order to cut down the size of the device? I've seen 4pin used for sharing a regular ethernet jack, but i would still think one of the ports would be 8pin and designated to attach to the LAN.

 

the other thing that threw me was that it was 'WEB only'. It was only good for browsing the internet?? you couldn't use it if you needed to browse to non-popular HTTP ports?? Then I realized it was 'WEB only' in purchase availability.